Apparatus for sampling wells



Ian. 26, 1954 R. F. FARRls APPARATUS FOR SAMPLING WELLS Filed Aug. 3.1948 FIG.

FIG. 2

RILEY F. F'RRIS JNVENTOR.

BY /l AT TORNE Y Patented Jan. 26, 1954 APPARATUS FOR SAMPLIN G WELLSRiley F. Farris, Tulsa, Okla., assignor to Stanollnd Oil and GasCompany, Tulsa, Okla., a corporation of Delaware Application August 3,1948, Serial No. 42,223

(Cl. 16B-19) s Claims. 1

This invention relates to the sampling of well fluids and moreparticularly it relates to an improved apparatus for determining theexact location in a well where a bottom hole sampling chamber is sealed.

Sampling of reservoir fluids is now a well established art. In this artthe importance of obtaining a representative sample has been carefullyconsidered; however, I have found that a truly representative sample ofthe well fluids may occasionally appear to be anomalous for the reasonthat while the sample may be truly representative of the total stream.Vfrom which it was obtained, it may not have been obtained in the well atthe exact location desired. Bottom hole samplers of the type describedin U. S. Patent 2,342,367, that is, the type which employ a chamberhaving inlet and outlet ports maintained in an open position during thetime the sample is lowered into the well and which entrap a sample ofthe fluid at the instant a frangible member such as a shear pin or thelike is destroyed, are commonly used in the art. While samplers of thistype are believed to take representative samples of the fluid in thewell where the sampler is located at the time the frangible member isdestroyed, I have found that the frangible member is not alwaysdestroyed at the desired location. For example, I have found that due toheading of the well, i. e., non-uniform ow, the sample chamber may bejarred as it is lowered into a well sufficiently to destroy thefrangible member and thus take a sample at the wrong or an undesiredlocation in the well.' In any case there is always a question in theoperators mind before the sampler has been removed from a well,particularly a deep well, as to whether a sampler of this type has beenjarred suiciently to destroy the frangible member.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved wellfluid sampler. It is a further object of this invention to provide animproved apparatus for indicating the position of a bottom hole wellfluid sampler at the instant a sample is entrapped. A still furtherobject of this invention is to provide an apparatus which is adapted tosignal or notify the operator when the valves in a bottom hole uidsampling device are closed.

Additional objects will become apparent to those skilled in the artas'the following description, which is to be read in connection with theannexed drawings, proceeds. In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the upper portion of oneembodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section through a middle portion of theembodiment shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a vertical section of a preferred embodiment of myinvention.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, headpiece I0 having its upperportion shaped to receive a loop on the end of cable Il, is screwed intothe upper portion of tubular section I2 so as to make a pressure-tightseal. Attached to the lower end of section l2 by means of cooperatingthreads is a coaxial section I3 having the same internal and externaldiameters and an integral partition wall I4 which is provided with anaxial bore I5. Bolt I6 having a smaller diameter than bore I5 but anenlarged portion I1 thereon is inserted through bore I5 but is held outof electrical contact with partition wall I4 and centered in bore I5 bymeans of insulating discs I8 and I9 on opposite sides of partition wallI4. A small disc 20 of conducting material rests upon disc I 9 and theassembly is held in place by means of nut 22. Integral with bolt I6 butextending below enlarged portion II is a downwardly-extending shaft 23having slidably mounted thereon a collar 24 and disc 25 of conductingmaterial. A compression spring 2B urges disc 25 downward along shaft 23but this downward travel is limited by pin 2'I through shaft 23. Thisconstruction provides an insulated pressuretight electrical connectionbetween disc 25 and disc 20.

A compression spring 28 is interposed between disc 20 and a number ofsingle-cell dry batteries 29 connected in series. An insulating sleeve30 prevents inadvertent contact between spring 28 and section I3. Spring28 serves two essential functions: first, it provides an electricalconnection between disc 20 and batteries 28; and second, it urgesbatteries 29 and time switch assembly 3I upward against the bottom ofheadpiece I0 and thus holds them in electrical communication.

Time switch assembly 3| consists essentially of a member 32 havingcircular enlarged spacers 33 and 34 on its upper and lower ends,respectively, contained within tubular section I2 with a sliding fit. Aclock mechanism 35 is mounted, preferably in rubber, on member 32 bymeans of clamps 36 and 3l. A disc sector 38 made of insulating materialhaving a -cutout sector 39 is mounted on the clock 35 in place of one ofthe hands, preferably the minute hand, so that it is slowly rotatedthereby. A spring contact member 40, which is mounted upon the upperterminal 4I of an insulated connection 42 through spacer i member 32,enlarged spacers 33 and 34 34 having a lower terminal 43 resting uponpositive terminal 44 of the uppermost of batteries 29, bears upon thedisc sector 38 in such a way that it is normally held out of contactwith ground connection t5 which is mounted on member 32. However, whendisc sector 3B has been rotated by clock mechanism 35 until cutoutsector 39 registers with spring contact member itil, the latter springsinto contact with ground connection 45, thus placing positive batteryterminal M in electrical contact with member 32, which is grounded totubular member l24 through spacers 33 and 34 and through capscrew is onthe upper surface of spacer 33. Fromthe above, it is apparent that thebatteries 29 may be placed in electrical contact with tubular member l2after any desirable predetermined time without the passage of electricalcurrent through clock mechanism 35.

Attached to the lower portion of member i3. by means of cooperatingthreads and coaxial thereto is ltubular member el', whose lower portionhas a somewhat smaller inside diameter than its upper portion, thusforming a shoulder 48, upon, which rests a solenoid Q3 having windings5i) and an axial bore 5.1i therethrough. One terminal of solenoidwindings 5B is grounded to member lll and the other terminal 52 extendsupwardly through tubular insulator 53 and contacts disc 25. Anelectrical circuit is thus completed So that solenoid windings 5! areenergized when cutout sector 39 of disc sector 38 registers withlcontact member llt, the circuit running from positive terminal M ofbatteries 29 through insulated connection z, contact members d and 45,

and capscrew 5, and tubular members i2, I3, and 41 to solenoid, windings58 and from the other terminal 52 of these windings through disc 25,bolt I6, disc 2 0 and spring 23 to the negative terminal of batteries. 29.

Armature 54 is slidably mounted within bore 5l and has connecting axialand transverser drill holes 55 for the passage of iiuid therethrough.Immediately above armature 5t and also slidably mounted within bore 5iis solenoid stop 56., which is. supported therein by means of theenlarged head 5'! and hasan axial hole 5,8, Armature 5A is adjustablyattached at its lower end to armaturetoggle link 59 by means of threadsso. that when solenoid windings l are not energized and theV apparatusis ready for use, asv shown, there is a small gap between armature 55and solenoid stop 5S. When solenoid windings 50 are energized by meansof the circuithereinabove described, armature 5ft and toggle link 59 areraised a short distance by the magnetic energy of the solenoid 49.

Nipple 6B, having a number of holes el therethrough, is attached to thelower end of member 4l., by means of the internal threads on thenipple.V A sleeve 34 is secured within member l byv means of internalthreads, dowel pins or the like. The header E5 or sleeve Si is formedwith an axial opening 56 therethrough for the reception of triggerVguide rod 6l which has longitudinal flats 58 formed thereon so as toallow the passage of fluid from .the interior of nipple 60 to theinterior of member All., and to aid in preventing sticking of rod Sl inopening 6e. Guide rod 6l is attached at its upper end to trigger supportmember 69 which bears toggle support screw "it and two oppositely placedlinks 'il attached at their upper ends to the lower outer portions oftwo trigger sear links 'i2 by means of pins. Trigger sear links l2 areboth pivoted at the lower end of armature toggle link 53 and are shapedso that when in cocked position, as shown, their upper outer portionsengage retaining shoulder 13, which is preferably a strand of wire orsimilar material placed in an appropriate groove within sleeve 6E sothat it may be easily replaced` in the eld. This arrangement is suchthat only a small amount of energy exerted to raise armature Ell andarmature toggle link 59 will allow trigger sear links 'i2 to pass overretaining shoulder` 13. The sensitivity of this trigger assembly can bevaried by threading toggle support screw 'lo in or out. The lower togglesup- Dort screw l0 is, and therefore the inner portions of sear linksi2, the more stable the trigger assembly is to shock and also the morepull by armature 54 is required to release it.

Sample chamber 'M is connected to the lower end of nipple 6D in such away that outlet port member 15 is retained in position by shoulder 'E3on the end of the chamber wall.

Outlet valve stem 'E9 carrying outlet valve 80, is slidably supportedwithin member l5. A valve spring 8l which bears on member 75 bears uponspring seat 82 on the upper end oi upper valve stem E3 to close valve80.. In some cases it is desirable, as indicated in U. S. Patent2,161,557, to employ both an upper andv a lower valve on the samplechamber. When a lower valve is employed, it is initially cocked open asthe sample chamber is lowered into the well and is released by a triggerrod 82 actuated by the upper valve when the sample is trapped in thechamber. A swivel joint 83 is provided between the valve stem 18 andvalve 30 by which the latter is keptV in alignment.

A cam 89 mounted on Vtrigger guide rod 61 is adapted to contact theinner taperedA edge of arms 3l of which only one is shown. These armswhich rotate about pins 92 are preferably yieldably supported on theheader 6l and tend to remain in the contracted position shown. A

second compression spring 93 tends to urge trigger guide rod 61upwardly. This spring may,r for example, bear against cam 83 at theupper end and against the head S4 at the lower end. An

- extension, S5 of trigger guide rod Si is provided at its lower endwith a conical seat 95 which is adaptedv to t into a. correspondingdepression in spring seat 82.

In operating'this sampling chamber to obtain a sample of the fluid in adeep well, headpiece lt and time switch, assembly 3| are removed fromtubular section i2 andclock mechanism 35 is set so that contact will bemade by the members 4Q and 45' at a predetermined time suiiicient toallow the sampler to be lowered into a well to the depth at which it isdesired to take a sample. Time switch assembly 3l and headpiece i arereassembled in their proper positions. The sampling device is thenlowered into the well on the cable Il. During the lowering operation,the iluid enters the sample chamber lil through a valve at the bottom(not shown), flows through the chamber and out through the outlet portmember andnipple 60 and holes 6i. Then the level at which the sample is.to be taken is reached, thesampling device. israised and' rapidlylowered several times to purge sample chamber 14 of well duid receivedthereinA during the lowering of the samplingudevice sothat alrepresentative 'sample of the well fluid at the desired location maybeobtained. Y

When` the predetermined time for taking sample has arrivem timeswitch'assemblyl B thas progressed to a position such that the cutout sector 39of disc sector 38 allows contact to be made automatically by the members40V and 45; thus,-energizing solenoid'windings 50 and raising armature54 a short distance as above described. This movement raises armaturetoggle link 59 and allows trigger sear links l2 to pass over retainingshoulder `|3 so that trigger guide rod 61 is allowed to rise by theaction of springs 8| and 93. As trigger guide rod 61 rises, cam 89 alsorises, striking the inner tapered surface of arm 9| forcing serratedshoes 91 outwardly against the tubing (not shown). Valve stem 19 beingreleased by the upward movement of trigger guide rod 61 and extension 95is urged upward by valve spring 8| causing the outlet valve 80 to closeagainst valve seat 85. Simultaneously, as is well known in the art, theupward movement of the valve may be adapted to lock the inlet port in aclosed position. Serrated shoes 9'| are constructed so that in anextended position they tend to grip the tubing and prevent the samplerfrom being lowered in the tubing. The sampler may, however, be lifted inthe tubing by cable I l since the serrations do not grip the tubing whenmoved in that direction. Thus it will be apparent that when and onlywhen the valves on the sampling device are closed, the arms 9| and shoes91 are extended, preventing further lowering of the sampling device inthe well. Accordingly, as a check on the closing of the valves, theoperator merely releases the cable to determine whether the arms 9| willsupport the sampling device in the tubing. If the arms are extended, thedevice is supported in the tubing, the weight of the sampling device isoff of cable and the operator is assured that the sampler valves areclosed and that a representative sample of the well uids have beenobtained at the desired location in the well. Obviously, he can beassured that the sample was not obtained at a higher point in the wellduring the time the sampler was being lowered into the well since theextension of arms 9| prevent further lowering of the sampler after thesampler valves are closed. If, upon lowering cable by a distance greaterthan one tubing joint, the tension in cable |I is not reduced due toarms 9| catching in the annular space between the tubing joints, theoperator is advised that the sampler valves have not been closed andtherefore additional time may be allowed to permit the disc sector 38 torotate further so that the cutout section 39 progresses to member 40.When the operator is assured that a representative sample has beenobtained at the desired location, the sampler can be withdrawn from thewell by reeling in cable I.

Referring now to a preferred embodiment of my invention shown in Figure3, a jar having a fishing neck |02 is attached to cable This jar isprovided with a recess |03 which is closed at its lower end with ahammer |04. This hammer has a central axial bore |05 through which ashaft |06 extends. Shaft |06 has at itsupper end an, anvil |01 and atits lower end, cam 89. This shaft also extends through a head |08 whichhas a central axial bore |09. Head |08 is connected to cylinder at theupper end. Cam 89, compression spring 93, and arms 9| are located andoperate in cylinder Extension 95 of shaft |06 extends through head 94and is provided at the lower end with a conical seat 96. This seat fitsinto a. corresponding depression in spring seat 82 and is `adapted tohold valve stem 'I9 down against the action 'of'valve spring 8|. Valvestem 19 is provided at its lower end with a valve 80. Valve spring 8|rests at its lower end uponmemberlS'which is as described above ahead insample chamber '|4. Holes 6| are provided in cylinder to permit fluidescaping through member 15 to pass back into the well. Valve ismaintained in an open position by shear pin` ||2 passing through a holein extension 95. This shear pin is placed in the extension when shaft|06 is depressed and valve 80 is in an open position, i. e., when thesprings 8| and 93 are compressed.

'I'he operation of this embodiment of my sampling device is notsubstantially different from the operation of the previously-describedembodiment. However, a brief description of the operation will be given.At the surface, before the sampling device is lowered into the well,springs 3| and 93 are compressed by applying a force on the end ofshaft- |06. Shear pin ||2 is then inserted in extension of shaft |05through holes 6|. Hammer |04 may bel removed from jar |0| to compresssprings 8| and 93; however, the invention is not so limited inasmuch asshaft |06 may be forced down with jar |0| in position. After the shearpin is in position and jar |0| assembled, the apparatus is lowered intothe well. Should the shear pin |2 be destroyed during the time thisbottom hole fluid sampler is being lowered into the well, valve 80 andcam 89 will be forced upwardly by valve springs 8| and compressionsprings 93 respectively, 'and a sample of the well fluids will beobtained at that elevation in the well. The operator will, however, beimmediately advised of the closing of the sample chamber since cam 89will force arm 9| outwardly into the -annular groove at the end of thefirst tubing joint. In such instance the apparatus can be withdrawn fromthe well and a new shear pin ||2 inserted. Provided this pin is notsheared as the apparatus is lowered into the well, when the elevation isreached at which a, sample of the well iluid is desired, the pin may besheared by the operator. Due to the relatively greater mass of thesampling chamber than the jar, shear pin 2 may be destroyed by loweringand sharply raising cable As cable is lowered, jar 0| is lowered onshaft |06, then as cable is raised sharply, hammer |04 strikes anvil |01tending to destroy Vshear pin 2.

The operator, prior to my invention, could never determine whethershear'vpin |2 had been destroyed by this manipulation. In accordancewith this invention, however, after the cable l has been lowered andraised sharply to destroy shear pin H2, cable is preferably raisedIabout the length of one tubing joint and then lowered slowly. If shearpin ||2 has been destroyed, arms 9| will be automatically forced intothe annular groove at the end of the first tubing joint land a decreasein the tension in cable will be `noted yat the surface; thus, theoperator will be advised that valve 80 is closed and that a sample Hofthe well fluid at the'predetermined depth is trapped in sample chamber'|4. On the other hand, if the apparatus can be lowered for a distancegreater than the length of a tubing joint, the operator is advised thatshear pin 2 has not been destroyed and that a fluid sample at thisparticular location in the well has not been secured. Accordingly,further jarring is continued until it is determined, according to theabove procedure, that shear pin ||2 has been destroyed and that valve 80has been closed.

`Cam 8S and arms 9i are so .constructed that the bottom nele duidsampler een be withdrawn from the well even .af-.ter `shear ein U?- vhasbeen destroyed and arms Sl have been 'distendedf At the surface therepresentative sample vcan be removed from the .sample chamber 'i4 as iswell known in the art.

, While I have thus shown'a limited number of alternative means forindicating rat the suriae the exact depth at which a sample of Wellfluids is obtained in a bottom hole sampling device, numerous otherembodiments will be .obvious to those skilled'in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention. For example, it is con.-templated that while in the embodiments shown, the signalling of the.closing of the sampling chamber is accomplished via an uninsulatedConduetor, an insulated Conductor could be employed to transmit electricsignals to the surface as an indication of the time and/or location ofthe apparatus in a well when the sample chamber is closed and the sampleentrdpped. This -in- Vention is therefore not to be construed to belimited to the detailed descriptiori'of the apparatus shown in thedrawing Since the drawings and description are presented only -forillustrative purposes. The invention is instead limited only by theappended claims.

I claim:

l. An apparatus for sampling fluidsin a well including an elongatedsample chamber Supported by a cable from the surface, a valve at eachend of said chamber, a valve rod on each valve, resilient means urgingthe valves closed, arms rotatably mounted on said chamber and expandableto a diameter larger than said chamber to contact the well walls, asupporting rod for said chamber, 4a cam on said red, a frangible memberin said supporting rod for holding said valves kopen and a jar connectedto said supporting rod for rupturing said frangi-ble member, said armsbeing expanded by said cam and said valves being closed when saidfrangible member is ruptured, whereby further lowering of Said chamberin said well is prevented after said valve means is closed as anindication at the sur.- `face that said sample :is entrapped in saidchamber.

2. A n apparatus for sampling iiuids a well Vequip-Ped with a pipestring including a sample chamber, valve means in said chamber forentrapping la sample Vof fluid within said chamber, and a brake on saidchamber responsive to the closing *of said valve means for engaging saidpipe string to position said chamber in said well.

valves on saidchamber, means to hold at least 011e 0f Said ValVGS allOpen PQSlilOIl aS Said chamber islowered into a Well, means to closesaid valves and entrap a sample of .said Well fluids in said chamberVwhen'said chamber is in said well, expansible arms rotatably mounted onsaid chamber, a cam actuated by said means t0 close said valves andadapted to expand said arms when said valves are closed wherebyloweringof said chamber in said well is prevented and the position of saidsample chamber when said sample is entrapped in said chamber can bedetermined.

5. An apparatus for sampling .uds in a Well equipped with a pipe stringincluding a sample chamber, valve means on said chamber, frangible meansfor holding said Valve means in an open positiQn as said chamber islowered into a well, means to destroy said frangible means within saidwell to close said'valve means and entrap aV sample of said iluids insaid chamber, expansibie arms rotatably mounted on said chamber, and acam for expanding said arms against said pipe string when said frangiblemeans is destroyed whereby further lowering of said chamber in said.Well is prevented and the position of said samplev chamber when Saidsam.- ple is entrapped in said chamber can be determined.

6. An apparatus for Sampling fluids in a well `equipped with a tubingincluding a Vsample 3.V An apparatus for sampling Well fluids in a wellequipped with a pipe string including a sampling chamber, valve means insaid chamber., means to actuate said valve means to entrap a quantity ofwell fluids in said chamber, and a brake on said chamber actuateduponthe clos.- `ing of rsaid valve means for gripping said plpe string atthe time vof entrapping said sample.

4. An apparatus for sampling fluids 1n a well including a samplechamber, inlet and outlet chamber having at least one opening therein,closure means Vfor said opening to entrap a same ple of said fluids saidchamber, a shear pin for holding said closure means in an open positionas said chamber is lowered into a well, jar means coupled to saidchamber to `destroy said shear pin within said well, expansble armsrotatably mounted on `said chamber, a cam movable with said closurevmeans and a compression spring urging said cam against said arms andexe panding said arms against said tubing when said shear pin isdestroyed whereby further lowering of said chamber in said well isprevented after said closure means is closed as an indication at thesurface that said sample is entrapped in said Chamber- F. FARRIS.

References Cited in the ille of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberVName Date 1,670,964 Hay et al. May 22, 1923 1,821,426 Dumm et al. Sept.1, 1931 2,113,856 Parks ,a v Apr. 12s, 1938 2,161,557Y .Claris c June 6,1939 Y2,209,627 July 30, 1940 2,249,815 Y July 22, 1941 2,313,176 ShelbyMar. 9, 1943 ,2,342,367 Pryor ,.-s T,..- Feb.A 2.2, 1944 2,407,991McCullough Sept. 24, 194,6

Y FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 352,600 Germany May y3, 1922

